District 26 Legislators: Week six of 2025 session
Jeremy Olson
District 26 Representative
Your District 26 Senator and Representatives concluded legislative week six in Bismarck, achieving considerable progress in advancing bills through committees to floor sessions. The House of Representatives, due to the high volume of bills, held evening sessions to reduce the number of bills before crossover.
A significant topic this week was CO2 legislation, a subject that has received prolonged attention in news and online platforms. Debate centered on various aspects, from Enhanced Oil Recovery to landowner rights, with numerous arguments for and against the CO2 industry. During the floor sessions, all anti-CO2 legislation in the House as well as most in the Senate were decisively defeated. As pro-energy legislators, Senator Patten and Representative Olson played an active role in opposing proposed legislation that would have adversely affected the energy industry, which is a key contributor to the state’s revenue. The concept of creating punitive legislation for one segment of industry is counterproductive to North Dakota’s philosophy of being business friendly.
Another matter of interest for District 26 is Senate Constitutional Resolution 4015. If enacted, this resolution would place a constitutional measure on the ballot to expand the Public Service Commission from three to five members, elected by district. Although increasing the number of PSC members might appear beneficial for utility oversight across the state, the question arises, “if you have regions represented by PSC commissioners who live in Bismarck, how do they really represent their region?” In short, many legislators do not believe it is a good idea.
We are approaching “crossover,” a critical point in the legislative session where bills that have passed in the House transfer to the Senate and vice versa, initiating the review process anew. This mechanism helps narrow down the bills to present the most essential ones to the Governor for approval or veto.
Thursday was marked by the visit of Watford City High School students to the Capitol, organized by Mrs. Polivka. These exceptional young individuals attended committee meetings, testified on important bills, engaged with legislators, and met privately with Governor Armstrong. We were pleased to spend time with them and welcome them to the House and Senate Chambers during the floor session. Their active participation in the legislative process suggests that we may see some of them in Bismarck in the future, as we certainly need committed citizen legislators moving forward.
We want your input. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
Contact Information for District 26 Legislators: Senator Dale Patten: dpatten@ndlegis.gov; Representative Jeremy Olson: jolson@ndlegis.gov; Representative Roger Maki: rmaki@ndlegis.gov; Official website: www.ndlegis.gov; Facebook: “North Dakota House Republican Caucus” & “North Dakota Senate Republicans”
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